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Higgs Physics at LEP2

M. Carena, P. Zerwas, E. Accomando, P. Bagnaia, A. Ballestrero, P. Bambade, D. Bardin, F. Berends, J. van der Bij, T. Binoth, G. Burkart, F. de Campos, R. Contri, G. Crosetti, J. Cuevas Maestro, A. Dabelstein, W. de Boer, C. de StJean, F. Di Lodovico, A. Djouadi, V. Driesen, M. Dubinin, E. Duchovni, O. J. P. Eboli, R. Ehret, U. Ellwanger, J. -P. Ernenwein, J. -R. Espinosa, R. Faccini, M. Felcini, R. Folman, H. Genten, J. -F. Grivaz, E. Gross, J. Guy, H. Haber, Cs. Hajdu, S. W. Ham, R. Hempfling, A. Hoang, W. Hollik, S. Hoorelbeke, K. Hultqvist, P. Igo-Kemenes, P. Janot, S. de Jong, U. Jost, J. Kalinowski, S. Katsanevas, R. Keränen, W. Kilian, B. R. Kim, S. F. King, R. Kleiss, B. A. Kniehl, M. Krämer, A. Leike, E. Lund, V. Lund, P. Lutz, J. Marco, C. Mariotti, J. -P. Martin, C. Martinez-Rivero, G. Mikenberg, M. R. Monge, G. Montagna, O. Nicrosini, S. K. Oh, P. Ohmann, G. Passarino, F. Piccinini, R. Pittau, T. Plehn, M. Quiros, M. Rausch de Traubenberg, T. Riemann, J. Rosiek, V. Ruhlmann-Kleider, C. A. Savoy, P. Sherwood, S. Shichanin, R. Silvestre, A. Sopczak, M. Spira, J. W. F. Valle, D. Vilanova, C. E. M. Wagner, P. L. White, T. Wlodek, G. Wolf, S. Yamashita, F. Zwirner

TL;DR

This paper assesses LEP2’s potential to probe Higgs physics within the Standard Model, the MSSM, and non-minimal extensions. It combines theoretical bounds and detailed production/decay analyses with extensive experimental simulations to derive discovery and exclusion prospects across multiple LEP2 energies, integrating radiative corrections and SUSY parameter variations. The study finds strong prospects for discovering the SM Higgs up to about 95 GeV at 192 GeV, while the MSSM offers substantial reach in certain parameter regions (notably via $Zh$ and $Ah$ channels) and imposes meaningful constraints on the Higgs mass spectrum through radiative and Yukawa-coupling considerations; non-minimal models like NMSSM can both enhance and hinder detectability depending on mixing patterns. The results emphasize energy as the key lever for LEP2 reach, while highlighting complementary roles for LHC searches and the importance of multiple Higgs channels to distinguish MSSM from the SM and to test extended frameworks.

Abstract

In this report we review the prospects for Higgs physics at LEP2. The theoretical aspects and the phenomenology of Higgs particles are discussed within the Standard Model (SM) and the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM). The experimental search techniques are described and the discovery limits for Higgs bosons in the LEP2 energy range are summarized. In addition, opportunities of detecting Higgs particles in non-minimal extensions of the SM and the MSSM are investigated.

Higgs Physics at LEP2

TL;DR

This paper assesses LEP2’s potential to probe Higgs physics within the Standard Model, the MSSM, and non-minimal extensions. It combines theoretical bounds and detailed production/decay analyses with extensive experimental simulations to derive discovery and exclusion prospects across multiple LEP2 energies, integrating radiative corrections and SUSY parameter variations. The study finds strong prospects for discovering the SM Higgs up to about 95 GeV at 192 GeV, while the MSSM offers substantial reach in certain parameter regions (notably via and channels) and imposes meaningful constraints on the Higgs mass spectrum through radiative and Yukawa-coupling considerations; non-minimal models like NMSSM can both enhance and hinder detectability depending on mixing patterns. The results emphasize energy as the key lever for LEP2 reach, while highlighting complementary roles for LHC searches and the importance of multiple Higgs channels to distinguish MSSM from the SM and to test extended frameworks.

Abstract

In this report we review the prospects for Higgs physics at LEP2. The theoretical aspects and the phenomenology of Higgs particles are discussed within the Standard Model (SM) and the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM). The experimental search techniques are described and the discovery limits for Higgs bosons in the LEP2 energy range are summarized. In addition, opportunities of detecting Higgs particles in non-minimal extensions of the SM and the MSSM are investigated.

Paper Structure

This paper contains 34 sections, 58 equations, 42 figures, 15 tables.

Table of Contents

  1. Synopsis
  2. The Standard--Model Higgs Particle
  3. Mass Bounds
  4. Production and Decay Processes
  5. Higgs-strahlung
  6. The $WW$ Fusion Process
  7. Higgs Decays
  8. The Experimental Search for the SM Higgs Particle
  9. Discovery and Exclusion Limits
  10. The LHC Connection
  11. The Higgs Particles in the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model
  12. Higgs Mass Spectrum and Couplings
  13. Tree--level Mass Bounds
  14. Radiative Corrections to the Higgs Masses
  15. Results
  16. ...and 19 more sections

Figures (42)

  • Figure 1: Strong interaction and stability bounds on the SM Higgs boson mass. $\Lambda$ denotes the energy scale where the particles become strongly interacting.
  • Figure 2: $\Delta\chi^{2}=\chi^2-\chi^2_{min}$ vs $m_H$ curves. Continuous line: based on all LEP, SLD, $p\bar{p}$ and $\nu$N data; dashed line: as before, but excluding the LEP+SLD measurements of $R_b$ and $R_c$; dotted line: LEP data including measurements of $R_b$ and $R_c$. In all cases, the direct measurement of $M_t$ at the TEVATRON is included.
  • Figure 3: Higgs-strahlung and $WW$ fusion of the SM Higgs boson.
  • Figure 4: The cross section for Higgs-strahlung as a function of the Higgs mass for three repre-sentative energy values [QED and electroweak radiative corrections included].
  • Figure 6: The main decay modes of Higgs particles in the LEP2 mass range.
  • ...and 37 more figures